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This Poem was Submitted By: Latorial D. Faison On Date: 2005-01-28 01:53:06 . . . Click Here To Mail this Poem to a Friend!

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Holocaust Memories

mine are mostly those written in Arnie's poems or Anne Frank's diary children going "left" to concentration camps while parents go "right" to some other Hitler's hell young Jewish boys growing up to be set free to only God knows what life, death or both Holocaust memories tell how real the hatred how ugly the people who practice it so much time passes between sad moments that I can hardly feel the joy of liberation but I always remember the people, the promise lands of abundance lives of freedom

Additional Notes:
remembering The Holocaust and every loss because of it (January 27, 2005)

This Poem was Critiqued By: Joanne M Uppendahl On Date: 2005-02-03 17:45:46
Critiquer Rating During Critique: 10.00000
Latorial: You've got an emotional honesty that calls forth to the reader in all of your poems. This one does so especially strongly. You vivify remembrance and the associations within each life that accompany it. Like you, I don't have many direct memories of the Holocaust, but hearing or reading about it has always had a very strong impact on me. As a child, I felt so proud that my father was one of the soldiers who went to Germany during the Occupation. He told me stories - some so sad that he often could not continue after a few words. I could see the depth of sorrow in his eyes, along with his gratitude to have done something to help. I read "The Diary of Anne Frank" I was fifteen. I have read many books by Holocaust survivors, and recognize that I can never fully grasp the extent of suffering, although I want to do so. When you wrote of the difficulties of remembering "the joy of liberation" you caught that sense of sadness that millions have and will carry forever. The potential for Holocaust has gone away. Most powerfully stated lines in the poem are but I always remember the people, the promise lands of abundance lives of freedom Yes, we must always remember the people, and do what we can to abolish hatred whenever we encounter it, in ourselves and others, and politically. Thank you for this important reminder. We must listen carefully to those making promises to us of things to be received at the expense of others, at the cost of freedom. Thoughtfully, beautifully written. Brava! My best to you, Joanne

This Poem was Critiqued By: Jane A Day On Date: 2005-01-29 20:54:17
Critiquer Rating During Critique: 10.00000
Dear L, This is an interesting poem about how we can gain true and meaningful memories through others and how we should never forget, I'd love the list of where you learned these things to be longer for rhythm. The right and left stanza is so stark and exact. So very good. I want the rest the poem to be as exact in its details becuase your title does much of the work of the last stanzas. Thanks so much for sharing this pearl of a peom. Jane

This Poem was Critiqued By: Tony P Spicuglia On Date: 2005-01-29 11:47:25
Critiquer Rating During Critique: 9.96970
Latorial, there is a remnant of humanity in us all that recalls such evil. This is never about "I", as you point it, it is always about us, humanity, the sins of humanity against itself. You bring to light, in a poignant manner, those decisions, those horrific acts, those leaving this world in utter despair, and those remaining in the same. I wish this was a thing of the past, but I see Rwanda, Bosnia, Somalia, Mahaweel, Cambodia, Barzani, and the next, and the next, and I wonder when the world will read your verse, and care. The holocausts happen because nobody does anything to stop them. Thank you much for this image, we all need to renew our pledge to beauty, and the others unable to stop thier holocaust. Thank you for this verse.

This Poem was Critiqued By: Turner Lee Williams On Date: 2005-01-29 10:49:29
Critiquer Rating During Critique: 9.88462
Latorial--At least "noone" has to wonder where the inspiration for this piece came from. Although your "Holocaust Memories" laments the wrongs done "one people," stanza #4 gives a universial reflection of infinite truth; "...tell how real the hatred how ugly the people who practice it" Moreover, the last/ending stanza holds for me the greatest definitive (it has to); "...but I always remember the people, the promise lands of abundance lives of freedom" This tribute is an excellent mixture of lamenting, condeming and redeeming.Thanks.TLW

This Poem was Critiqued By: marilyn terwilleger On Date: 2005-01-28 15:58:49
Critiquer Rating During Critique: 9.85714
Hi Latorial, I echo your words. When I read 'Aschwitz' (spelled wrong) I was appauled...I was a young mother then and could only read after the children were asleep. That book was so graphic and literely made me ill to think human beings could so such atrocties to other human beings. I was very saddened when I read Anne Frank as I had children and could not imagine such an existance for them. Now we are in another horrible war and children are being killed and maimed every day. I wrote a poem about that and it is posted here...the name is 'Sky Thunder' I feel sorry for all, but the children get to me the most. I think your fifth stanza is the most poingant for me....'so much time passes between sad moments that I can hardly feel the joy of liberation.'...wonderful line. If you have any jewish friends you must let them read this as it is a kind tribute to the hell those people suffered at the hands of a barbaric madman. Blessings...Marilyn

This Poem was Critiqued By: arnie s WACHMAN On Date: 2005-01-28 12:37:01
Critiquer Rating During Critique: 9.63636
thanks for the acknowledgement. It is a story that unfortunately be lost with time and loss of interest while anti semetism will continue. The Jews loss is not the only aboration going on at this time.

This Poem was Critiqued By: Rachel F. Spinoza On Date: 2005-01-28 11:38:21
Critiquer Rating During Critique: 7.75000
Thanks Latorial this is not a critique of your touching poem - just an acknowledgment of gratitude for those who care and who see the horrific event as a catalyst for right action. My matriarchal relatives who were victims can more surely rest in peace because of people like you. Rach

This Poem was Critiqued By: Claire H. Currier On Date: 2005-01-28 03:00:10
Critiquer Rating During Critique: 9.82500
Good morning Poet......your poem speaks for so many that did not have a close tie with the holocaust (thank God) Arnie certainly has done wonders in sharing this with us and I do recall seeing the movie, Diary of Anne Frank rather then reading the book.......and all those other movies shown on large screen or on television.....good structure, word flow brings forth images of the people, the sadness, the fear of leaving someone behind, and when children are involved the terror or it all........parents going one way, children the other, never to see each other again, brothers, sisters perhaps the same once they were sent somewhere and the memories of it all never leaving you after all these years, the emotional impact alone is horrible let alone what Hitler's men did to people on one man's order. Thank you for sharing with us, be safe, God Bless, Claire

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